Description: Stained teeth can be awkward for many people. Sometimes certain teeth are stained more than others, giving an “Indian corn” type of look to one’s smile. There are a number of reasons why teeth get discolored or stained. Most stained teeth are caused by food, drinks, or tobacco. Certain types of food and drink have a higher potential to stain teeth and these include coffee, tea, and soda. All foods can discolor your teeth if they are not properly cared for. Some medications can stain teeth as well. Tetracycline is an antibiotic used to treat a number of illnesses. One of its major drawbacks is that it causes severe staining in teeth if it is used in growing children. These teeth have a gray or dark brown appearance to them. Vitamin supplements and Iron have been found to stain the teeth of children who take the supplement for certain lengths of time. Fluoride consumption should be carefully monitored as well, because just too much fluoride can turn your teeth yellow. Fluoride has also recently been linked to several health issues. Smokers almost always have stained teeth to a certain extent. Stained teeth can also be caused by high fever in certain individuals. In addition, habits, trauma, certain dental procedures can change the shade of your teeth.
Solutions: Depending on the degree of the problem there are a number of different solutions from proper dental hygiene, whitening tooth pastes, professional teeth whitening, cosmetic bonding, and the ultimate whitener — porcelain veneers.
